Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-02-11
.Ans.cer to "spirisaa..sm Defsnsd. .

As Mrs. Ream and are on amicable terms
my attention is diverted to your correspondent
'sTruth" which ought 10 be consistent with
itself, but since Brigham Young has been
resurrected and appeared TO many in Utah if
We are credulous enough to believe the al
ledged statement, we surely live in an age of
the marvellous. So did the Pharsees Of Persia
who acknowledged the Snaster to be the Holy
| Book OF God. And so did the Hindoo who
believed the same of the Veda the Mohanl-
edon OF the Koran etc. They ali acknowl-
edged supernatural powers and miracles.
Mr.. "Truth" objects TO the claims of spirit
uaiists in regard to conversing with the
departed. He also says that scriptures often
commend honest investigation while he know.
that the scriptural injunction is ''belieye or
be damned if he ignores the claims of others
to communication with the dead, why does he
accept the same thing as Bible testimony sucll
as the raising of the Prophet Samuel by the
Witch OF Endor etc.
Now | believe in the broad comprehensive
religion of humanity and in inspiration that
is general. / do not believe chat ignorance is
the Mother Of true devotion, nor that it is
good soil for the developement of true re-
ligion.
| accept the truth, not because it is written
in any book, but because ii was true before
it was written. A book, like story to be
true must correspond with fact and truth in
principle, and each statement must agree SUBJ
| stantially in regard TO the same thing.
live are perishing spiritually it is for the lack
of knowledge and the proper direction of the
faculties which the God of the Universe has
bestowed upon us. The belief in the super
natural and mysterious have blunted the in
tellects Of mankind who have been trameled
by its influence. 1t is strange that "Truth"
will disalow to spiritualists what seems to him
incredible and then admit that God is the
author Of much that is equally as incredible.
We do not deny that Christ was pre-emin-
nently son of God but we deny that he was
the only son. We deny that there is suffi-
cient proof either oral or circumstantial that
Christ was dead and came TO life again or
that he assembled to heaven.
The pagans say that the daughters Of Anius,
high priest of Apollo received from the God
Bacchus the gift and power to change any
thing into wine, oil, corn or any thing they
desired. The pagans have also said that Ath-
| alides hal received from his father Mercury
the gift Of living, dying and returning to life
at his pleasure and that Esculapins the son of
Apollo had raised the dead. They also claim
| that Remus and Romuius the founders OF
Rome were miraculously born of virgin
named lila. They also claim that Minerva
caused a well of oil to spring up in reward for
temple that had been dedicated to her, and
many other things they have claimed but we
do not believe them. Why should we believe
any others whose statements are as incredible
and unreasonable; lis strange that men will
reject living testimony OF such things and ac-
cept the testimony of nobody knows who
about things that nobody knows any thing
about. On account of ignorance, superstition
and belief in the supernatural and miracu-
lous true religion, science and all that is prac-
tical and good has been kept back 1000 years
ago. Heron discovered the power of steam
and a toy engine was on exhibition in Alexan
ds;.s tllt i was considered mechanism Of the
devil, but now Il thh<<Qbs and beats for the
good Of millions of animate beng almost
every thing that is useful has been opposes
by those who claimed to have command of all
revelations from God that was necessary for
man. Why does the church now teach in its
schools what it buned-Bruno at the stake
for because as mankind advances in scientific
knowledge the chnrch must advance little or
be left.
Respectfully,